Electric automobile-clock.



W. H. THOMPSON.

ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILE CLOCK.

I APPLICATION HLED NOV- 9. 1914- I 1,160,466. .Pat-ented Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET,1-

W. H. THOMPSON.

ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILE CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. m4.

1,160,466. Pntehted Nov. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' forth in my Patent UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WIIILIAM H. THOMPSON, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO THOMPSONELECTRIC CLOCK COMPANY, OF MEMPHIS,

TENNESSEE, A CORIEORATFION OETENNESSEE.

ELECTRIC AUTOMOBILE-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Application filed November 9, 1914. Serial No. 871,032.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. THOMP- soN, a citizen of the. UnitedStates, residing at Memphis, county of Shelby, and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements, in ElectricAutomobile-Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric automobile clocks. i v

The present invention embodies improvements on the electric automobileclock set No. 1,024,709, dated April 30, 1912 and in my applicationSerial No. 869,014, filed October 28, 1914, but it has the same generalobject in the provision of. a clock intended for use on automobiles,locomotives, vessels and other vehicles where more or less constantvibration exists and where .winding of a spring clock would be neglectedexcept at irregular intervals with resulting deterioration andinaccuracy in keeping time. Automobile clocks are peculiarly subject toneglect and this, with the excessive vibration, soon impairs theirreliability as time keepers.

As in the clocks of my application and patent aforesaid, the presentinvention employs spring driving means for thetrain and contactcontrolled electro magnetically operated self-winding means embodying,'in part, a maintaining spring for driving the,

. train when the main spring barrel is being electro-magnetically wounThe complete clock of the. present invention embodies certain featuresfound in the clock of my applicationSerial No. 869,014,

filedOctober, 28, 1914, but it has for its object the provision ofimprovements in the self-winding mechanism of that application and of myPatent N 0. 1,024,709; further, in the provision of a self containedelectric clock movement and an electrical connector, whereby flexibleconnecting wires orcords are done away with; further in other featuresmore fully appearing hereinafter.

That'part of the present invention which relates to improvements in thewinding mechanism minimizes friction and lash and insures greaterregularity of the driving action and reliability of the maintainingaction at the instant the wound by the electro-magnetic action,wherebygreater efiiciency obtained in the evenspring,

main, spring is being ness of application of the spring driving power tothe train at all times. In carrying out this feature of the invention, Iprovide a stationary staff, as distinguished from a rotary arbor, and onthis stationary staif there is mounted the balance disk and main thepinion quill, maintaining barrel and maintaining spring. In consequenceof this construction, friction is minimized and evenness of the drvingpower insured even when the driving disk is kicked back to wind the mainspring. As a further means for minimizing friction, I provide a combinedtorsional and expansion coil spring which constitutes the soleconnection between the maintaining barrel and the pinion quill whichdrives the train, doing away with the leaf spring and pins employed forthat purpose in my Patent No. 1,024,709. The end of the pinion quill isso connected and arranged in relation to the head of the maintainingbarrel that the wear is taken by the end of the quill instead of by thehead of'the maintaining barrel, resulting in diminished friction, aswill appear more fully hereinafter.

The balance disk for winding the main spring, being lodsely mounted onthe stationary staff, is adapted to freely whirl thereon duringre-winding of the main spring without opposing the driving actionimparted to the train by the maintaining spring and barrel at the momentof re-wind- In consequence, the driving action is substantially uniformat all times and the clock runs with great regularity.

. In the present invention I provide an improved electrical connectorbetween the clock case and the frame of the-movement. This connectorconsists of a spring contact carried by the self-contained clockmovement, and an improved contact on the clock case, whereby the act ofinserting the clock movement in its case, automatically. brings-theparts of the contact together and, on'the other hand, the entire clockmovement may be bodily removed from the clock case, cans-- ingseparation of the parts of the electrical contact without requiring theuse of wires or conductor cords or detachable fastenings of any kind.This'electrical connector is set forthand claimed in a divisionalapplication, Serial No. 15,512, filed March 19, 1915. In my applicationSerial No. 869,014, I

' ment have set forth and claimed a self-con-. tained clock movementwith shock absorb ing' springs interposed normally do. not engagetheframe of the omission of the coil-spring for retracting clock movementor resist its tendency to hold the bezel in position, but which willengage the frame of the movement when the bezel is removed so that theclock movement will be retained in the case even when the bezel is takenoff, thus permitting the hands to be set without danger of the entiremovement springing out of the case. On the other hand, these stop screwsmay be loosened and permit the entire movement to be taken out. Thesestop screws are set forth and claimed in my Patent N0.-1,148,728, datedAugust 3, A further improvementv consists in the the armature and in animproved construc tion and arrangement of a flat spring carried by thearmature-which serves to nullify the action of residual magnetism on thearmature and also to .act as a retracting spring therefor.

The foregoing recital of objects, advantages and improvements embodiedin the present invention is to be -considered as illustrative, ratherthan restrictive, of the scope of a the invention.

In the accompanying drawingsr-Figure 1 is a section through the glass,bezel andcase,

showing the operative parts. of the clock; Fig. 2, a plan view lookingtoward the electro-magnet, when the movement is detached from the case;Fig. 3, a detail section showing the electricalconnection; Fig. '4, adetail view showing the binding posts; Fig. 5, a detail elevation of thedriving and winding mechanism, the parts of the movement being insection to show how the staff is made stationary; Fig.6, a detail viewlooking toward the head of the windin barrel; Fig. 7, a similar viewwith the head removed, showing the main spring; Fig. 8, a detail sectionthrough the, winding, and maintaining, mechanisms; Fig. 9, a detailshowing the double brace connection for the main spring: and Fig. 10, adetail of the parts of the maintaining mechanism .when disassociated. n

All of the operating parts are. self-contained as a complete movementand winding mechanism which may be bodily inserted into the shell orcase 101' bodily removed and application Serial No. 869,011.

-26 (Fig. 3

driving carried by the frame.

therefrom. The shell or case has a screwthreaded part '2 onto which thebezel 3 screws, and it may have a flange 1 provided with suitablescrew-holes for fastening the complete clock to the dash of anautomobile orother object. The glass 5 is carried by the bezel and thelatter also has a spacer shell 6.

The frame of the movement has a dial plate 7 and front and back plates'Sand 9, the plates 8 and-9 being connected by pillars 10 and all parts ofthe train being carried thereby. A supplementalback plate 11 is alsosecured by continuations of the pillars and this plate 11. constitutes asupport for the electro-r'nagnet 12, one of whose terminals 13'leads toa connector 14 which is insulated at 15 from plate 11 and to whichinsulated wire .16 is connected. The arma-. ture 17 is of'a singlevstamping, as proposed in my application Serial No, 869,014, saidarmature being pivoted at 18 and 19 in the plates 7 and 11. The cord 16runs through an opening 20 in the pivotal part of the armature andthence to a contact whose back-piece 21 appears in Fig, 1. The contactis on the opposite side of the armature from the plate 21 and iselectrically connected to the back plate 21, but both the contact andback-plate are insulated from the armature 17. Further description ofthis contact is deemed unnecessary in-view of the disclosures of myPatent No. 1,021,701! T 0 break the residual magnetism which would. tendto hold the armature 17 to the poles of the electro-magnet and also todo away with the coiled retracting spring which I propose to use inconnection with the arinature in my application Serial No. 896,014:,there is secured at 22 to the armature, a flat or leaf spring 23 whosefree end presses against the pole f the electro-magnet and normallyholds the armature against a suitable back stop 24:. The other terminal25 of the electromagnet is connected to a binding screw which isinsulated by washers 27 from the plate 11 and is carried thereby. Auntand washer 28 afford means for connecting the terminal 25 to the screwor post 26 whose end projects freely. at 29 and is snugly embraced bythe contracted end of a coil spring connector 30 so that said spring 30is permanently carried by the screw 26, and when the entire movement istaken out of the case 1, this electrical connector 30 is A cup 31 ofinsulating material is contained within the case 1 and has a reducedend-entering an opening 32 in the back of said case or shell. A contactscrew 33 holds thiscup in position, there being provided an insulatingwasher 34 through which the screw pass-cs. Suitable nuts and washerssecure the screw and parts together and afford means for the connectionof a current supplying wire.

The shell 1 may have another binding post surrounded by coil springs38-whose inner ends 39 are cramped and engaged with the pillars to holdsaid springs in position, but at the same time permitting them to freelyexpand or contract on the pillars. These .springs constitute shockabsorbing devices which are adapted to press against the rear of thecase land to thereby hold the entire frame of the movement outwardly sothat the dial is held against the spacer shell 6. Stop screws 40 arethreaded through the shell 1 in'position so that their tips will beslightly free of contact with the plate 11 when the'parts are in normalcondition, as

, circuit.

shown in Fig. 1. When the bezel is unscrewed, the springs 38 would tendto throw the movement outwardly. This is prevented by the engagement ofthe plate 11 with the stop screw 40. Consequently, the bezel and glassmay be taken ofli' to set the hands 41 without disturbing thearrangement of the parts, but if it is desired to remove the movementfor any purpose, the screws 40 can be backed out until clear of theplate 11, whereupon the entire movement may be taken out. I Whenproperly entered in the shell, the contact spring 30 will enter theconcavity in the cup 31 and press against the head of the screw 33, thuspotentially establishing the The circuit is completed when the balanceand winding disks turn, through unwinding, suflicient to establishelectrical connectionfwith the armature contact.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 8, 42 is a staff which has a screw-threaded end43 which is screwed into the plate 11 at 44, the other end of the staffbeing loosely received in the plate Sat 45. This statfremains stationaryat all times, the screw-threaded part '43 being sufficient to hold itfirmly, and consequently the provision of threads or a. nut 5 isunnecessary. The staff is provided with a fixed or rigid hub'46 having ahook 47. Loosely mounted on the staff is a bal-- ance disk 48 which hasa concavity 49. Contained within the concavity49 is the main or drivingspring 50, one of whose ends is engaged with the hook 47 and the otherend eing provided with a double brace 51 which has one end received inan opening 52 in .the balance 48 and its other end received in a slot 53in the disk-like head which is frictionally seated in the rabloetedportion I 55 of the disk 48. The engagement of the spring 50 with thehook 47 affords a permanent hold for one end of the spring so that thedriving action of the spring is nnparted,

a unit. These disks are also connected b a.

cylindrical contact 58 which may be of any suitable metal and need notnecessarily be of platinum for the reason that this is so arranged inrelation tgp the contact which is carried by the armature lever andconnected member21 that there is a wearing or rubbing engagement of thecontacts at the time the circuit is made and, consequently, no amount ofsparking will so corrode these contacts that there will be anyinterference with the operation. The contact 58 also serves to connectthe disks 48 and 57 and to brace them one from the other. Looselymounted on the staff 42 is a pinion 59 having an integral quill 60 whichhas a reduced end 61. The pinion 59 is engaged with the center wheel ofthe clock train and is the means by which the spring power iscommunicated to said train. Loosely mounted on the quill 60 is amaintaining barrel 62 which has exterior ratchet teeth 63 adapted to beengaged by any suitable pawl 64 carried by the plate 8, such pawl andratchet teeth holding the maintaining barrel against back action.Loosely received in the'maintaining barrel is a disk-shaped head 65which has acenter hole 66 that has a tight driving fit with the reducedpart 61 of the quill 60 so that the disk 65, quill 60 and pinion 59 turnas a unit. The tip of the quill 60 extends beyond the disk 65 as at 67,and bears against the end of the sleeve 56, whereby-the disk 65 isslightly spaced from the winding disk 57 and friction is minimized.

The pinion quill 60 being of steel, the end thereof bears against theend of the brass sleeve 56 which, also, reduces the friction quill 60,is 'a and wear.

the latter in a hole 72 in the maintaining barrel. The spring 68, by itslengthwise expansion, acts against the disk 65 as'an abutment (said diskbeing fixed to the end 61) and against the bottom of the maintainingbarrel 62 and presses the barrel against the pinion 59 which has'arelatively small super- Consequently, the barrel 62 is ficial area.always kept out of contact with the winding disk 57 and I therebyfurther reduce fric- 'tion. The spring 68 is also a torsion spring,

its tendency being to exert a driving action on the head 65, and throughit, to the pinion 59'and thence to the train. The retainreduce it thatthe of the train would be seriously interfered time. It is, therefore,

No. 1,024,709, and I also do away with the function,

. under torsional tension,

'. and thence the engagement of the armature contact ing pawl 64 servesto hold the maintaining barrel 62, and as the spring 68 is normally ithas this driving tendency.

Carried by the disk 57 73 (Fig. 5) which always bears on the teeth 63 ofthe maintaining barrel 62, and it is through this pawl that the drivingaction of the spring 50 is transmitted to the barrel 62 from said barrelby the interposition of spring 68, to the disk 65 and to the pinionquill andpinion 59, thus driving the train. Assuming that the spring 50is under tension and the contact 58 is out of engagement with thearmature contact, the aforesaid driving action is imparted to the train.lVhen the contact'58 engages the armature contact, the circuit throughthe electro-magnet 12 is completed, whereupon the armature 17 isattracted with a snap-like action and with contact 58 results in aninstantaneous whirl or twirl being given to the balance disk 48 and thewinding disk, spring 50.

Asexplained'in my Patent No. 1,024,709 and application Serial No.869,014, this electro-magnetic winding action would, if compensatingmeans be not employed, tend to take the driving actionvofi the train orto so beat and correct operation with and the movement would keep poornecessary to maintain the driving action on the train during each periodof re-winding, although such rewinding is accomplished instantaneously.The maintaining mechanism of Fig. 10 accomplishes this object. Duringre-winding, the torsional actionof spring 68 causes the pinion 59 tobedriven for the brief period of such re-winding and thus the timekeeping properties of the movement are not interfered with. spring 68has a capacity age of driving power spring used for that purpose in myfor a greater stor- Patent provision of stops and pins by reason of theemployment of the bent ends 69 and 70 and the openings'i'l and 7:2.Furthermore, the mechanism is more easily assembled and taken apart andthe spring-has greater freedom of action than with the spring of saidpatent. .It will be observed, however, that the spring 68 in addition toits maintaining also has the other function previously set forth ofsocorrelating the parts that friction is minimized.

By the employment of the fixed. staff 42 and the loose mounting of thedisks 4S and 57 thereon. I notonly obtain 'a compactar angemvnt. but thedisk 48 serves as a balance dis. and in addition to that. the system isfree Li) twirl. on the stud 4'2 durduring re-winding, 1s a suitablepawlion loosely mounted thus winding the barrel,

It will be observed that the than the circular and a train driven byspring barrel and the ing re-winding, without offering an opposing powerto the maintaining power exerted by the spring 68 for, it will beobserved, that the pawl 7 3 runs idly; around on the teeth 63.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by. Letters Patent, is:

1. In a clock, the combination with-a stationary stafi, of aspring-actuated driving barrel loosely mounted thereon, a pine mountedmaintaining barrel, pawl and ratchet means for driving the maintainingbarrel from-the driving barrel, a maintaining spring constituting adriving connection between the, maintaining barrel and the pinion, and atrain driven by said pinion.

' 2. In a clock, stationarv staii, of aspring-actuated driving barrelloosely mounted thereon, a pinon said staff, a loosely the combinationwith a I ion and quill loosely mounted on said staff,

a maintaining barre loosely mounted on the quill, pawl and ratchet meansfor driving the maintaining barrel from the driving a member loose inrelation to the and secured to the quill, and a combined lengthwiseexpansion and torsion spring surroundingthe quill and engaged withsaidmember and said maintaining barrel and adapted to constitute adriving connection between them and also to hold the maintaining barrelagainst the pinion, and a train driven by said pinion.

3. In a clock, the combination with a stationary staff, of aspring-actuated driving barrel loosely mounted thereon, a windingmaintaining barrel disk, a sleeve connecting the winding disk and springdriving barrel together whereby they are all adapted to turn on thestationary staff, a contact pillar connecting the spring barrel andtro-Inagnet, an armature having a contact adapted to engage the contactpillar, a pinion, a maintaining barrel, a spring connecting themaintaining barrel and the pinion, pawl and ratchet means for drivingthe maintaining barrel from the winding disk, said pinion. I

4. In a clock, the combination with a stationary staff, of, aspring-actuated driving barrel loosely mounted thereon, a winding disk,a sleeve connecting the winding disk and spring driving barrel togetherwhereby they are all adapted to turn on the stationary staff, a contactpillar connecting the winding disk, an electro-magnet, an armaturehaving a contact adapted to engage the contact pillar, a pinion andquill loose on said staff, a maintaining barrel loose on said quill. amember secured to the quill but disconnected from the maintainingbarrel, a combined lengthwise expansion and torsion spring surroundingthe quill and contained within the mainthe winding disk, an electainingbarrel, said spring having its ends engaged with said said member,pinion.

5. In a clock, the combination with a driving wheel and main drivingspring therefor, of a loose maintaining barrel adapted to be driven bythe driving Wheel, a pinion, a train driven by the pinion, and acombinedlengthwise expansion and torsion spring interposed between the pinionand the maintaining barrel and constituting a driving connection andmaintaining power.

6. In a clock, the combination with a driving wheel and mainspringtherefor, of a loose maintaining barrel adapted to be maintainingbarrel and and a tram drlven by said driven by the driving wheel, apinion and quill, said maintaining barrel being loose on the quill, theend of the quill constituting anabutment bearing for the drivingquillaforesaid, a member secured'to thequill, a combined lengthwise expansionand torsion spring coiled around the quill Within the maintaining barreland having its ends engaged with the member and the maintaining barrel,and a train driven by said pinion.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

lrVitnesses:

\VM. H. FITZHUGH, JULIUS GOODMAN.

